


Sucked Into Trouble

by LegolasLovely



Category: Young Hercules
Genre: Blood and Gore, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, Monsters, Protectiveness, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:34:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22310380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LegolasLovely/pseuds/LegolasLovely
Summary: The new drill instructor at the Academy starts to threaten Iolaus, Hercules and (Y/N)’s way of life and the three friends have to find a way out of the trouble they get sucked into
Relationships: Iolaus/Reader, Iolaus/You
Kudos: 7





	Sucked Into Trouble

**Author's Note:**

> Hello me again being so obsessed with Iolaus it's fine  
> {Warnings: Violence, angst, scary monster, fluff, kickin names and taking booty with a badass reader, this is a serious fluff/comfort fic okay}

The sun beat down on the training pit just outside the academy and a choir of grunts sounded as the cadets half-heartedly went through their drills. A blunt crack sounded as (Y/N) hit her wooden sparring sword against Hercules’ and the sand shuffled under her feet as she retreated. Then she leaned back into him, and spoke under her breath.

“I don’t like him, Hercules.”

He glanced to the new drill instructor, Theseus, who was sparring with Iolaus. Until now, the group of friends would split evenly to practice their drills but since Jason was crowned king of Corinth and graduated from the academy, they were left odd-numbered. Today, Theseus jumped at the chance to spar with Iolaus. Hercules winced when Iolaus misjudged one of his blocks and was hit hard in the arm by Theseus’ sword. 

“Me neither. And I don’t like that Iolaus is stuck with him for the next hour,” Hercules said.

The pair continued their drill, moving at half speed with their attacks and blocks, stealing glimpses of their friend all the while. 

“I don’t understand how Cheiron could have brought him into the academy after he practically threw you guys out of your chariots today,” (Y/N) said, jabbing her sword a little too harshly toward Hercules. “Sorry.”

He hummed. “Cheiron always has a reason-”

“Get your sword _up!”_ Theseus yelled at Iolaus, smacking his hand with the blunt sparring weapon.

A new level of frustration hovered over Hercules’ brow. “I don’t like him either.” He lunged at (Y/N), slowly aiming for her left shoulder when Theseus’ voice boomed again.

“Is that how you’d fend off a blow? You’ll be dead the second you step out of the academy!” He quickly lunged at Iolaus as if to make his point clear, but he didn’t slow down after the threat. He sent hit after hit to Iolaus with impressive speed. Though his student struggled, he managed to block every blow until Theseus kicked him in the stomach. His leg flew over Iolaus’ head as he ducked, but as Theseus circled back around, he lowered his leg and used it to knock his opponent off his feet. Iolaus crashed on the ground with a thud and a harsh grunt and all he could do was watch as Theseus held his sparring sword high in the air and lowered it to point at his victim’s chest.

But another sword crossed before Iolaus’ eyes. (Y/N) was standing above him, blocking Theseus’ sword. 

“I thought we were supposed to be moving at half-speed,” she said, her brows set low over her harsh eyes.

“Life doesn’t move at half-speed,” Theseus said.

With a grunt, (Y/N) pushed at his sword, sending it into the air. It almost flew out of Theseus’ hands, but he adjusted his grip and took his stance to fight her. She dug her back foot into the sand. A snarl escaped her. “And do instructors always beat on their students for fun?”

Theseus laughed. When she only moved to tighten her grip on her sword, he lunged at her, but was easily blocked. He danced around her to the left, circling her and grinning wildly. Lunge, parry. Lunge, block. Every crash of the weapons was followed by Theseus’ wicked giggle and it only spurred her on. She attacked, stepping forward with each move until his feet got tangled in the sand and she effortlessly disarmed him.

He threw his hands up in defeat, grin never leaving his wide lips. “Girl knows how to fight.”

“And you _don’t_ know how to teach.” She threw her sword on the ground and met Hercules and Iolaus on the other side of the sparring pit. She patted Iolaus’ arm as she passed but he grabbed her hand so she couldn’t leave.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said.

She looked up at him and her rigid, dark features finally softened to her usual expression. “I-I know. I’m sorry. I just-he makes me so _mad._ I don’t want him here.”

Iolaus’ brows twitched, startled at her fierce fury and sudden outburst. His thumb brushed her chin. “Don’t let him upset you. If he keeps up this way, he’ll be gone soon.” Then wrapped an arm too tightly around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. “And I know you’re just worried about me ‘cause you like me.” His wide smile almost warped his words.

She shoved him. “In your dreams. You need your butt kicked more often.”

“Hey, I let him win.”

“Sure.”

“Of course I did. What would it look like if I beat up the new guy on his first day?”

“It would look like you actually practiced your drills,” she said, looking up at him from his side. She squeaked when he reached up and yanked on her hair, but her focus was stolen by Hercules’ booming voice. 

“Fine!” He was nose to nose with Theseus.

“Tomorrow morning,” was all that was heard from Theseus before he spun and stalked away. He turned over his shoulder and glowered at his three opponents before vanishing into the academy. 

“What’s tomorrow morning?” Iolaus asked.

“We’re racing,” Hercules said. “On Cheiron’s chariots. To the Forbidden Zone and back.”

(Y/N) sucked in her bottom lip before saying, “Do you think that’s a good idea? He almost threw you out of your chariot this morning.”

“And if he does it again and you’re in the Forbidden Zone-” Iolaus began.

“He won’t do it again. I’ll be so far in front of him he won’t be able to.”

***

The next morning came quickly. Despite the secrecy and inherent danger of the challenge, half the academy had flocked to the edge of the river to watch Hercules and Theseus race in the chariots. By the time (Y/N), Hercules and Iolaus arrived, the horses and students were impatient and stomping at the ground in anticipation. 

“Make sure to slow down on the turn,” Iolaus said from the foot of Hercules’ wagon. He craned his neck to look down the river at the tall wooden spikes that marked the entrance to the Forbidden Zone. “Give yourself about twenty yards.”

Hercules only nodded. Though he was silent, his excitement was clear to his friends. (Y/N) reached out to dribble sand into his hands and noticed they were shaking with adrenaline. 

“Just don’t drop your reins, hm?” she said, alluding to the first time Hercules drove a chariot, leaving him and Iolaus stranded in the fields of Corinth for an entire afternoon.

“I’ll do my best,” he said, cracking a smile for the first time that morning.

“Hey, ace!” Theseus called from atop his chariot. “Who’s your second?”

“I am,” Iolaus said, stepping up beside Hercules.

“What about you?” Hercules asked. 

A wide, ugly grin took its time creeping onto Theseus’ face. “(Y/N).”

“What?” she asked.

“No,” Iolaus said. “No way.”

“Hey,” Theseus said, walking to (Y/N). “I get to pick my second. And I pick her.”

Iolaus leapt down, blocking (Y/N)’s hand as Theseus reached for it. “Choose someone else,” he said lowly.

“Why?” Theseus asked. “Afraid if you let her out of your sight she’ll fall for a winner? Unlike y-”

“Get on the chariot, Theseus,” (Y/N) growled, stepping around Iolaus, with a reassuring hand on his waist. “I’ll be your second. I’ll have a front row seat to watch you lose.” She led the way to the chariot, ignoring Theseus’ snickering.

“Uh, you forgot something,” he said to her as she stepped up into the wagon. “I need sand to dry my hands, _second.”_

_“_ Get on the chariot, Theseus,” she repeated. Hercules gave her a nod, readying himself for the race. Iolaus, however, stared at her and she couldn’t quite place the emotions on his face. She smiled at him, bracing herself on the side of the chariot as it rocked when Theseus boarded. 

“Do you know what it feels like to be on a winning team?” he asked as he grabbed the reins and wound them in his fingers. 

“I’ll be sure to ask Iolaus when we’re finished.” 

He laughed too loud. “It’s a bumpy ride. You may want to hold onto me.”

She inched as far away from him as she could in the mouth of the chariot. “I would rather be slaughtered by whatever monster lives in the Forbidden Zone.”

His eye twitched before he faced forward to watch the student from the academy with canvas bag that acted as a racing flag. He was repeating the rules of the race. “To the Forbidden Zone and back. Whoever crosses this line first, wins.”

“It’ll be me,” Theseus mumbled.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes and held on tight to the wood of the chariot. Nerves gathered in her gut and shot through her veins. Though she’d never been on a chariot with two horses before and the rocks hiding in the sand would make the ride treacherous, she refused to hold onto anything but the wagon itself. She glanced to Iolaus and missed what he said to her as the horses bolted at the drivers’ commands. 

The cheers of the other academy members waned to nothing as they drove further away, but Theseus’ victorious hooting only grew louder. His chariot was in the lead and for a moment, (Y/N) thought of knocking the reins from his hands. “Come on, Herc!” she yelled.

The ride seemed endless as the heat waved in the air above the cool sand. The wooden markers of the Forbidden Zone grew taller- they were getting close to the turn around point. Behind, (Y/N) could see Hercules slowing his horses but she didn’t feel Theseus holding back at all. They were driving full speed across the sand.

“Theseus! Slow down!”

“No!”

“Turn around!” She yanked on his arms, but he fought her, throwing her hands off of him as he turned the chariot at full speed. The wagon tipped and slammed into one of the wooden markers, making it rock back and forth on its wheels. 

Theseus cried out in victory as the wagon steadied and he headed back to the starting point, having barely eased at all. “See? Told you I didn’t have to slow down!”

He passed Hercules and Iolaus and barely saw their looks of sheer panic. However, he did hear them screaming for (Y/N) and when he looked over his shoulder, he realized she was no longer on the chariot with him.

***

Her tears were uncontrollable. She was trapped in a tall, circular cage, completely alone except for the monster that was taunting her. It had growled and jumped at her until she stood frozen and away from the bars so that _thing_ couldn’t reach her without opening the cage. 

It stared at her. Heavy feet pounded on the ground as it circled her, shining scales shifted with its every move and green eyes watched as she wrapped her arms around herself. Fresh tears fell down through the streaks of sand on her cheeks and its long, red tongue licked its lips before it lunged at her again, making her scream in terror. 

Then it disappeared.

If she could trick it, make it open the door to the cage, she could attempt to overpower it. But she would have to gather her wits again- stop crying and stop this incessant shaking, the violent stomach ache, and the ever tightening chest. However, once she escaped the creature’s grasp, how would she get out of the Forbidden Zone?

She shook her head and tried to focus and remember how she was captured in the first place. Once she fell out of the chariot, she landed in the soft sand of the Forbidden Zone, just past the entrance. After that, her memories were blank. 

Presently, she was jarred from her musings as she heard the monster returning. Between the booming footsteps of the giant, small grunts echoed in the cave. The monster had another victim. Though the bars of the cage, the dark creature could be seen holding another human under its arm as if he were as light as a melon. As it passed through the dim light, a familiar head of ragged, blond hair glowed and (Y/N) gasped through her tight chest. She had no time to think, question, or escape as the monster opened the bars and tossed its additional prey inside the cage.

“Well, that’s not a polite way to receive guests.”

“Iolaus?” She grabbed him and held him tighter than she’d grasped any sword before. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I came to get you.”

“What? N-no, Iolaus. You shouldn’t have done that-”

“(Y/N).” He forced her to look at him and finally saw her tear soaked and sand covered face. His thumb brushed over her cheek and he willed the fear out of her eyes. “I would never leave you alone here.”

Her chest started to shake. “But now we’re both stuck here and I don’t even know where ‘here’ is and we’re with that _thing-”_

“We’re underground.”

“What?”

“Look at me.” His hands framed her face and he felt her grip on his clothes relax. “We’re under the Forbidden Zone. When that moron threw you off the chariot, you fell into the Zone and the ogre grabbed you through the sand. It pulled you underground to its… lair. Here.”

“And you just _followed_ me?”

“Yeah.”

“Hercules let you follow.”

“Well, no. He tried to, uh, stop me.”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

His hands fell to his thighs with a slap. “This is the thanks I get for coming to save you?”

She laughed, the sound thick with tears. “Did you expect anything less?”

“I expected a little _more_ ,” he said, noticing her hands had remained on his waist. 

“Maybe later.”

A loud crash startled them both. They had wandered too far from the center of the cage and the ogre had attacked the bars, sending its gnarled claws through the gaps. It missed its target, but the ear shattering roar sent (Y/N) hurdling into Iolaus’ chest and fresh tears caught at her throat before falling down her face and onto the bare skin of her shield’s neck. He pulled her away from the bars with his lips to her hair and his thick fingers hiding her eyes.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said, feeling his stomach wrench and flip as she wept with terror he’d never seen from her. “We’ll get out of here.” He looked up, searching for a clear path to the sand above, and saw nothing but hard rock. The ogre guffawed, as if reading his mind, before turning and wading into the darkness.

“It’s gone, (Y/N). For now, it’s gone,” he said, but she didn’t move from him. His brows rose as he felt her fingers curl tighter into his clothes. “I’ve never seen you frightened,” he mumbled, not really intending to say it out loud.

“Yes, you have,” she said, the words muffled.

“No. I would have remembered.”

“Why? So you could tease me about it later?” She emerged, wiping her cheek with the back of her wrist. 

“No,” he said, smoothing her hair back into place. “I just- I would have remembered.”

She waited for the joke. When none came, she stepped back but remained in the middle of the cage. “It was after one of our battles with Ares.”

He scoffed. “You’re not afraid of Ares.”

“No, not really. But, remember that day when we all went fishing? He pushed Jason and I to the shore and when he attacked Hercules, your boat shattered.” 

“Yeah, I remember. I almost drowned that day.” He stopped chuckling when her eyes lifted to his.

“I was really scared.” Her gaze fell again as she continued. “Jason went after you because he’s the faster swimmer but when he brought you to the shore, you weren’t moving. I’ve never been as frightened as I was in those moments before we knew you were okay.”

He gave a slow nod. “So I was right.”

“What?”

“I have never _seen_ you scared. I was unconscious when Jason pulled me out of the lake, so-”

She rolled her eyes. “Iolaus.”

He lifted her chin, blue eyes shining even in the dark of the cave. Then he looked up. “Herc.”

She frantically looked around but her hazy mind couldn’t quite keep up with the jump in logic. “Hercules?”

“Listen.”

It was silent. Not even the sound of the ogre’s stale breath could be heard. “I don’t-” A finger stopped her lips.

“ _You want to be sucked underground by that thing?”_

It was garbled and soft, but (Y/N) heard it. “Theseus.” She grumbled the name like a curse.

“ _This is where Iolaus went down. Why isn’t it finding us?”_

“And that’s Herc,” Iolaus said, pointing upwards.

The next thing they heard was the soft growl and echoing footsteps of the ogre. It raced out of the shadows and out of the range of its prey in the cage. 

“It’s going after them,” Iolaus said.

“Hercules! Run!” (Y/N) shouted with a force that burned in her throat.

“ _(Y/N)?”_ she heard from above. 

“It’s coming! Get away!”

More jumbled, distant yelling brought Iolaus and (Y/N) to the bars of the cell, craning their necks to see and hear more of their friend and his hopeful escape. But Iolaus pulled her back to the center of the cage as the ogre stomped through the cave with two wriggling worms under its arms. Both Hercules and Theseus were hurdled into the cage, knocking all four humans down on the ground and making it impossible for them to sneak out of the cage before the door snapped closed and locked once more.

“You guys all right?” Hercules asked.

“As much as I enjoy your company, this was not the plan, Herc,” Iolaus said, shooting a nasty glare toward Theseus.

“W-well, we had to form a new plan,” Hercules said, wincing a bit at his own words. 

“Since when?”

“Since we didn’t know how to get down here,” Theseus said.

“Hey!” Iolaus said, crowding his self proclaimed mortal enemy against the bars of the cell and hoping the ogre would finish him off right then. “Who asked you? _This_ is all your fault. When we find a way out of here, you’re not coming.”

“Hey, man, I came down here to help (Y/N). You can rot down here for all I care.”

Iolaus’ fist swung but Hercules caught it, pulling him off Theseus. “Get her name out of your mouth!” Iolaus said.

(Y/N) grabbed his vest and turned him so his back was to Theseus, who was now being handled by Hercules. _Men,_ she wanted to say with a roll of her eyes. Instead, she shook Iolaus’ and said, “Calm down, you’re being ridiculous. We’re all down here now and we’ll all find a way to get out. We can argue later.”

“Ridiculous?”

“Yes!”

“Didn’t you just explain to me how scared you were when you thought I had drowned? And the next time you saw Ares you almost killed him. You almost took down the god of war in your anger, (Y/N)! And then you _leave_ me, thinking you’re suffocating or something in the sand- scared to death that you’re suffering and I’m never going to see you again- and you’re going to tell me I’m being ridiculous when I want to tear the one responsible to pieces!”

She was left frozen, fully understanding every emotion running through him, but wondering when his hands had grabbed hers and held them until his knuckles turned white.

“If we don’t work together,” Hercules said, interrupting (Y/N)’s thoughts, “then we won’t get out of here at all.”

She dropped her hands. “He’s right.” She felt Iolaus’ eyes on her as she turned to watch Hercules pull at the bars of the cage. “I already tried that. They’re too strong.”

Her words didn’t deter Hercules. His bared teeth shone in the dim light as he yanked on the bar next to the lock of the cage. Slowly, with a loud whine, the stone bent and the door creaked open.

“But apparently not strong enough for the mortal son of Zeus,” she mumbled.

“Let’s go!” Theseus said.

“Not yet,” Iolaus said, swallowing his bitter irritation. “First we have to know how to get out of the cave.”

“The entrance must be that way,” (Y/N) said, pointing through the bars and into the darkest corner of the cave. “It brought all three of you in from that direction.”

“Where is it now?” Hercules asked.

Iolaus shook his head. “Haven’t seen it since it locked you in the cage with us. (Y/N)! Come back here!”

She reached a shaking hand out and silenced him with a wide eyed glare. As the others were speaking, she’d snuck out of the cage and toed through the cave. Her feet were silent as she moved into the shadows and disappeared. 

“What are you doing?” Hercules asked Iolaus as he moved to run out of the cage.

“Going after her! We don’t know where that thing is!” he said as quietly as he could in his panic.

“Just wait.”

Their eyes were glued to the pitch black corner of the cave. Every moment, Iolaus was sure he saw her returning, but it was only a trick of the darkness. He kept waiting for her horrified scream but it never came. He squeezed the bars and shook his head. “She’s taking too long.”

“Here she comes,” Hercules said, clapping a hand on Iolaus’ shoulder.

(Y/N) noiselessly scurried across the cave and back into the cage before Hercules closed the wrecked door behind her. Iolaus took her shoulders, but before he could get a scolding word in she said, “I found the entrance.”

“How far? Theseus asked.

“Just through that dark spot there. Right around the corner, there’s a thin layer of sand where the sunlight peeks through. That’s where the ogre pulled us down, but the entrance is far up in the ceiling of the cave and there’s nothing around to stand on or jump from.” She wriggled in Iolaus’ grasp but avoided his gaze. 

Hercules craned his neck through the bars trying to see more of the dark side of the lair. He nodded his head and hummed, making the others wait for his plan. Then he turned. “So, whoever goes first will have to pull the others up.”

“Before the ogre finds us,” (Y/N) said with a nod. 

“You’ll go up first,” Iolaus said to her.

“I can’t. I won’t be able to lift you guys.”

He knew she was right. She was strong in her own right, but her assets included stealth and speed in fighting. She wouldn’t be able to lift any of the men straight off the ground, even from above. He knew this. But the expression on his face revealed his devastation. 

“Then, you’ll go up first, Iolaus,” Hercules said.

“I’m not leaving her down here.”

(Y/N) was stunned to here him say such a thing out loud, but she instead turned her attention to the one who hadn’t yet added his voice to the plan. “Theseus will go first,” she stated. He whirled to face her, eyes wide and chest even wider. “He won’t leave us down here.”

“This isn’t the time for a trust exercise, (Y/N),” Hercules said.

“This isn’t an exercise.” Theseus was staring at her with a glint in his eye. “Think you can handle this after all those half-speed drills?”

He nodded. “I’ll get you all up.”

The plan was quickly established and they decided to move while the monster was still out of sight. (Y/N) led the way through the creaking cage door and into the darkness with Iolaus gripping her arm the whole way. A few steps later, the sunlight shone through the ceiling and she silently pointed to the entrance. With a slight hesitation, Hercules and Iolaus created a platform with their thighs for Theseus to jump off of. His head busted through the sand barrier, sending sparkling grains onto those below. Then he disappeared completely, leaving (Y/N) waiting.

“He left us,” Iolaus said, turning to Hercules and telling him to ignore the plan and go up next. 

“No. Just wait,” (Y/N) said.

“We don’t have time to wait,” Hercules said. “It won’t be long before the ogre learns we’ve escaped the cage.”

“Just wait.” The sunlight above was blocked by something. She doubted it was something of the sands above, it hadn’t been that long since she’d last looked up and the sun couldn’t move shadows that fast. Theseus was still there.

All three of them jolted when two hands were thrust through the sand above. 

“There he is,” she said. Iolaus lifted her until her she could grab Theseus’ arms and be carried through the dry sand. She landed above ground on her back, coughing and rubbing the grains from her eyes. “Took you long enough.”

“Had to decide if I wanted to stay and help you,” Theseus said.

She patted his arm. “Well, I’m happy to see you.” 

“And I’m happy to know you can still trust me after all that’s happened.”

She grinned, but it quickly warped when she heard the muffled roar of the monster below. “Quickly! Help them up. It knows we’re escaping.”

Theseus broke through the barrier once again and reached down for Iolaus’ hands. He turned to (Y/N), shaking his head. “He isn’t there.”

“Yes he is. Hercules has to help him up. Give him a moment.”

The moment passed and another roar sounded from below. This time, it was Hercules calling for Iolaus and (Y/N) heard it clearly. She shuffled until her feet fell through the barrier. “Help me down,” she said to Theseus, taking his hands. 

“No. You’re safe here. Hercules is half god, right? He can handle the ogre. Wait here-”

“Help me down, _now,”_ she said, letting her knees fall through the sand.

He was astonished to see her eyes were clear and wide- completely unafraid. “All right. I’ll be right here when you’re ready to come up.” He gently let her slip downwards until the sand was up to his elbows and he felt her let go of him. 

She landed on her feet like a cat- gracefully and silently. It gave her some time to take in her surroundings and she quickly realized the ogre had attempted to take its prey back to the cage. And by the grunts and roars she heard, she was happy to know it hadn’t succeeded yet. She dashed to the dark corner and peeked around the stone, holding in her fearful gasp as her friends came into view. 

The ogre held Iolaus in the air by his throat. His thrashing and kicking only angered the monster, making it thrust him against the bars of the cage. Just before she turned away, she saw Hercules fall from the rocks above and onto the ogre’s back with a battle cry. 

She was useless against this vast creature without a weapon. Back to the entrance she crept, begging for more light and some luck. There were some boulders she could use to crash against its skull, but she wasn’t familiar with this kind of monster- would that even work? She kept searching, darting around the small space of light and she did something she almost never did. She tripped. She whirled and kicked the sand away, finding a smooth white bone. She tossed it in her hands and shivered at the thought of this ogre sucking the tip so dry, it formed a deadly point. “Good enough,” she whispered before dashing to the cage.

As she ran, the ogre threw Hercules off its back and raised its free arm to threaten Iolaus. She sprinted through the bars and crashed onto the monster’s scaly back, sending the natural weapon into its shoulder. It let out a mighty, ear shattering roar and dropped Iolaus. (Y/N) fell from its back and ran from the cage, hearing her friends follow her. The cage door slammed and the bars creaked as Hercules bent the lock back into place, effectively trapping the beast in its own prison.

“Go!” He cried. “That won’t hold it for long!”

Hands were on (Y/N)’s hips and she was thrust up to reach Theseus’ hands. She soon disappeared from Iolaus’ view.

“They’re right below, we have to help them now,” she said to Theseus past her coughing.

He bent low to grab hold of the next person. “I got him,” he said with a grunt as he pulled Iolaus up. 

(Y/N) attacked him as he emerged, shaking the sand from his hair and smoothing the prickly grains off the red claw marks over his neck. “You okay? Is Hercules down there?”

“Yes, he’s right there,” Iolaus said, moving to kneel next to her and fill his palms with any part of her he could get a hold of. “The ogre is still in the cage.”

“Not for long,” she said. 

A desperate roar shortly followed and she and Iolaus realized Theseus hadn’t pulled Hercules up yet. 

“Can you get a hold of him?” she asked.

Theseus shook his head, straining to reach further into the sand. “No, he’s not there.”

“I can’t reach!” Hercules yelled from down below. 

A clatter of stone and metal sounded and they knew the ogre was free. It’s victorious cry grew closer.

“Hold onto my feet,” (Y/N) said, thrusting her hands past Theseus’. She pushed and pulled at the sand until she fell through the barrier to her waist. Below, she could see Hercules was just shy of where Theseus’ hands would have been. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the monster stomping through the dark shadows. She grabbed Hercules’ arms with a bruising grip and screamed to those above. “Pull us up!”

With disorienting speed, Iolaus and Theseus pulled them both up and out of the beast’s lair. (Y/N) felt herself being yanked to her feet while she brushed the sand out of her eyes and hair. When she looked up, Iolaus was before her.

“You okay?” he asked, hands over her cheeks. 

“Yes. Hercules-”

“Is right there,” he said, letting her look to her left to see Theseus aiding Hercules out of the sand and away from the barrier. “We’re all out.”

“We have to leave,” she said, dismay again filling her chest at the sound of the ogre’s roar. 

As if to prove her point, a gnarled, green claw rose from the sand and reached for Iolaus’ ankle. He bolted, pulling (Y/N) along with him. “Get out of the Zone, get out of the Zone, get out of the Zone.”

The four were long past the wooden markers of the Forbidden Zone before they stopped sprinting. 

“Is everyone all right?” Hercules asked.

Before anyone answered, (Y/N) fiercely hugged Theseus, wedging herself in his arms that were braced on his knees as he caught his breath. “Thank you,” she said.

“This was all my fault,” he said.

“You made a mistake and you helped fix it,” she said, retreating from him. “We wouldn’t have gotten out of there without you. I just hope you’ll go easy on us in training for the next few days.” She rotated her shoulder and winced.

“Just the next few days. After that…” he shrugged and laughed. “I hope you’ll find a way to forgive me,” he said. “All of you.”

“Hercules stepped forward. “Eh, we’re even now, right?” he said, patting Theseus’ shoulder.

Iolaus glanced at (Y/N) before holding his hand out. Theseus took it with a slap and shook it. “Thank you.”

Hercules shuffled to take (Y/N)’s shoulders. “And thank _you_ for coming down to get me.” He engulfed her in a hug, making her laugh.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to risk Zeus’ wrath, now, would I?”

“You’re about to risk my stomach’s wrath,” he said, letting go of her. “Because of you, we missed breakfast.” He chuckled at her eye roll.

“Meet you guys at Kora’s?” Iolaus asked.

“Sure,” Hercules said, walking with Theseus. 

Iolaus and (Y/N) took their time following. Their steps were slow and their fingers were interlaced. Finally, she nudged him. “Thanks for coming to get me.”

“Oh, so I’m not an idiot now that I’ve saved you?”

“No. You’re still an idiot.”

He chuckled and circled to stand in front of her. The knuckles of his first two fingers ran down her sandy cheek. “I know you’re just saying that ‘cause you like me.”

She hummed. “Maybe.”

He kissed her. She tasted of salt- sand and sweat, but she was delicious and perfect to him. His arms slipped around her as her fingers found his hair, left crunchy by the golden grains. She chuckled against him.

“We are disgusting.”

“Yeah, but I like you anyway,” he said, tightening his grip and kissing her again.


End file.
